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Welcome to the Dove Self-Esteem Project

At Dove, we believe that no young person should be held back from reaching their full potential – but in the UK, 9 out of every 10 girls with low body esteem put their health at risk by not seeing a doctor or by skipping meals.

Since 2004, Dove has been building self-esteem in young people – and by 2020, we’ll have helped 40 million through our educational programmes.

At Dove, we're committed to making beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety. That’s why we're a founding partner of the Be Real Campaign – a national movement formed in response to the Reflections on Body Image report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image. Together, we are campaigning to change attitudes to body image, put health above appearance, and help all of us be confident in our bodies.

Your child is growing up fast, and no doubt, has different role models and influences to the ones you had growing up. Use our action checklist to talk to them about the differences, and bridge the generation gap.

The benefits of exercise go far beyond the physical. Discover the scientific facts about the positive link between exercise and body image, and give your child the exercise bug, with our action checklist.

Ever feel like you’re talking to your child in a different language? Then try using our action checklist – it might not teach you to be fluent in ‘teenager’, but it will definitely help you speak a language you can both understand.

Since 2004, we’ve helped more than 20 million young people globally, and 2 million in the UK, to overcome appearance related pressures and body image issues. In doing so, we've raised their self-esteem and encouraged them to realise their potential. With your help, we can reach millions more.

Talking about our bodies is like an unwritten rule in female friendship – many of us do it constantly and automatically: "I feel fat in these jeans," "I’ve put on so much weight," or "Gosh, my skin looks awful today." Talking about your looks might seem like a way to bond with your child and friends, but it’s worth considering what effect it could have.